The use of optical contact lenses for the correction of vision defects or for cosmetic purposes is well known. However existing contact lenses have been found to be unacceptable to many potential contact lens patients for a variety of reasons. For example, early contact lenses were made from polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). While PMMA lenses have high optical clarity and good durability, they are rigid lenses possessing low oxygen permeability. Consequently, PMMA lenses may result in eye irritation and corneal oxygen deprivation leading to wearer intolerance and limiting the usefulness of such lenses.
In an attempt to avoid these problems, so-called "soft" lenses, capable of swelling in an aqueous environment, were developed. These "soft" or hydrogel lenses, characteristically made from poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate), poly (vinyl alcohol) or poly (vinylpyrrolidone) generally result in less irritation and intolerance than pMMA lenses for most patients. When substantial amounts of water are absorbed into the hydrogel, the oxygen permeability is increased over that of PMMA lenses, and the flexibility of such hydrogel lenses is high, thereby increasing patient comfort. However, the oxygen permeability of such hydrogel lenses is generally still rather low, and the durability is poor. Moreover, due to the high water content of such leases, they generally have a tendency to collect and trap proteinaceous and other tear fluid materials, resulting in lens clouding over a period of time.
In another attempt to solve problems associated with early lenses, silicone, or siloxane, rubber lenses were developed. They are advantageous in that they possess high oxygen permeability and an aesthetically appealing texture when worn. However, due evidently to the generally low thermal conductivity of silicone rubber, burning sensations in wearers of silicone rubber lenses have been reported. Also, as silicone lenses tend to be lipophilic, such lenses may tighten onto the cornea, trapping debris between the lens and cornea, thereby resulting in corneal abrasions. Also, due to the characteristic lipophilic nature of such lenses, the silicone rubber is mucophiliq and non-wettable, attracting ocular debris such as protein, lipids, mucoids and the like.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome these and other disadvantages of the art by providing substantially siloxane free, wettable, oxygen permeable, but substantially non-swellable, opthalmic devices, such as contact lenses and corneal implants, of polymer containing polyoxyalkylene backbone units.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method of correcting visual defects in the form of refractive errors by fitting to the patient's eye in need of the same, a corrective contact lens on such polymer.
These and other objects of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description of the invention.